Why We're Losing the War on Terror

The war on terror is a lost cause. As the war heads towards its second decade, American security policy is in disarray – the Iraq War is a disaster, Afghanistan is deeply insecure and the al-Qaida movement remains as potent as ever with new generations of leaders coming to the fore.

Well over 100,000 civilians have died in Iraq and Afghanistan, many tens of thousands have been detained without trial, and torture, prisoner abuse and rendition have sullied the reputation of the United States and its coalition partners.

Why We’re Losing the War on Terror examines the reasons for the failure, focusing on American political and military attitudes, the impact of 9/11, the fallacy of a New American Century, the role of oil and, above all, the consummate failure to go beyond a narrow western view of the world.

More significantly, it argues that the disaster of the war may have a huge if unexpected bonus. Its very failure will make it possible to completely re-think western attitudes to global security, moving towards a sustainable policy that will be much more effective in addressing the real threats to global security – the widening socio-economic divide and climate change.

"Analysis and perception is provided admirably by Paul Rogers'
short, punchy book. Perhaps surprisingly, given the disastrous
situation he is describing, Rogers sees reasons to hope amid the
carnage and despair. For all our sakes, we can only hope he is
right." New Internationalist

"Rogers' analysis is insightful and his damning appraisal of the
past, and pessimistic vision of the future, are sobering."Political Studies Review

"A very good overview of the motives and consequences of US
policy since 9/11. Rogers is particularly good at analysis of
military affairs, but ably locates it within the wider political
context and provides some revealing insights."International Affairs

"Paul Rogers is one of the foremost British academic
commentators on the American-led 'war on terror'. Like all
ambitious and mature scholars, he takes as his field the entire
terrain of conflict, from the technological and economic factors,
to the political, social and ideational factors that have shaped
public policy. Rogers' view is refreshing because he is not bound
by the traditional strictures of critical political economy that
tend to place undue emphasis on single factors. While he quite
rightly places the economics of national interest squarely in his
sights, he also takes a great deal of effort to show how both
technological and ideational factors come into play."International Peacekeeping.

"Paul Rogers has produced the best guide I have read to the
post-9/11 international security environment; its origins, nature,
and consequences."Mark Phythian, University of Leicester

"Paul Rogers' short book packs a mass of tough wisdom and
reasoned provocation into its 180 pages. He sees the war in Iraq as
a delusion; one that condemns us to a long war against
'Islamo-fascism'. This book is not prescriptive, but challenges us
all to a debate. Everyone involved with the practice and policy of
national security should read, think and argue about it."Rear Admiral Richard Cobbold, Royal United Services
Institute

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